LCol (Ret’d) Maryse Carmichael

Maryse Carmichael didn’t just break barriers—she flew straight through them. As the first woman in the world to fly on a military jet demonstration team and later the Commanding Officer of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, she led elite teams through high-stakes environments where precision, culture, and trust meant everything.

In this keynote, Maryse shares the leadership principles that carried her from a young Air Cadet in Quebec City to leading one of the most iconic aviation teams on the planet. She brings audiences into the cockpit—where split-second decisions, psychological readiness, and unwavering teamwork determine success or failure.

Attendees will learn how to: • Lead confidently through uncertainty and change • Build cultures rooted in trust, accountability, and shared purpose • Recognize and overcome self-doubt and limiting beliefs • Elevate performance when expectations and pressure are at their highest

This is a keynote that inspires boldness, earns trust, and reminds organizations what’s possible when they empower people to fly beyond expectations.

High-performance teams don’t happen by accident — they’re built with intention, communication, discipline, and humility. Maryse Carmichael has lived this at the highest level, having served as both a Snowbird pilot and the leader responsible for bringing nine aircraft, 80 personnel, and a national demonstration program together in perfect synchrony.

In this deeply practical and inspiring session, she reveals what elite aviation teams can teach organizations about collaboration, psychological safety, and performance under pressure. Drawing on nearly 3,500 flight hours across multiple aircraft and missions, Maryse illustrates how alignment, clarity, and culture determine outcomes long before execution begins.

Audiences walk away with tools to: • Strengthen communication in fast-moving environments • Foster psychological safety and trust across diverse teams • Build alignment around mission, purpose, and expectations • Translate high-performance habits from aviation to everyday work

Ideal for organizations focused on teamwork, culture transformation, operational excellence, workforce readiness, and leadership development.

Becoming the first at anything is never simple — especially when all eyes are on you. When Maryse Carmichael joined the Snowbirds as their first female pilot, she wasn’t just navigating a new role; she was navigating scrutiny, self-doubt, cultural expectations, and the weight of being a symbol for others.

This keynote is a powerful exploration of resilience, confidence, and leading with integrity when you are building a path that didn’t exist before. Maryse shares candid stories about forging forward in environments where she had to earn trust, prove capability, and still show up as herself — not a stereotype or a symbol.

Audiences will learn how to: • Challenge limiting beliefs — their own and others’ • Break barriers with purpose and without burnout • Navigate visibility, expectations, and pressure • Build resilience through preparation, clarity, and values • Lead with authenticity and inspire others to rise behind you

This keynote is particularly powerful for women’s leadership programs, emerging leaders, students, and organizations committed to inclusion, empowerment, and representation.